November 18th, 2009 by DaveAdmin
The 2011 Fiat Doblo, which is expected to eventually be exported to the United States in commercial vehicle form, has been announced. The small van is designed to carry up to seven people.
The original Doblo had sales of nearly one million; the new one has been thoroughly re-engineered on a new platform with a standard 108 inch wheelbase.
Minivan models have fold and flip seats, with numerous storage compartments. Both interior and exterior have been reworked. The EuroDoblo will have four
engines: a 95 bhp gasoline (petrol) and three low-noise diesels with 90 to 135 hp. A Natural Power dual fuel (gas and methane) is to be added along with another Dualogic diesel. Start & Stop is optional; it shuts down the engine while standing idle.
The rear suspension is bi-link, calibrated for each model. Stability control, ABS with electronic brake distribution, and a hill-holder are standard.
Doblo Cargo has a squarish cargo bay, with sliding side doors and a large rear hatch. It has an inner length up to 2.2 meters [a meter is three inches just longer than a yard], width between wheel arches of 1.23 meters, and volume from 3.4 to 4.2 cubic meters (120-148 cubic feet). Combined gas mileage is around 4.8 liters / 100 km with the smallest diesel – around 49 mpg but that engine is unlikely to be used in North America. The range includes short and long wheelbase vans with high roof versions.
Minivan models have fold and flip seats, with numerous storage compartments. Both interior and exterior have been reworked. The EuroDoblo will have four engines: a 95 bhp gasoline (petrol) and three low-noise diesels with 90 to 135 hp. A Natural Power dual fuel (gas and methane) is to be added along with another Dualogic diesel. Start & Stop is optional; it shuts down the engine while standing idle.
The rear suspension is bi-link, calibrated for each model. Stability control, ABS with electronic brake distribution, and a hill-holder are standard.
Doblo Cargo has a squarish cargo bay, with sliding side doors and a large rear hatch. It has an inner length up to 2.2 meters [a meter is three inches just longer than a yard], width between wheel arches of 1.23 meters, and volume from 3.4 to 4.2 cubic meters (120-148 cubic feet). Combined gas mileage is around 4.8 liters / 100 km with the smallest diesel – around 49 mpg but that engine is unlikely to be used in North America. The range includes short and long wheelbase vans with high roof versions.
November 10th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
Chrysler has shut down its standalone ENVI electric vehicle program and its personnel have been assigned to other vehicle development programs as Chrysler and Fiat merge their hybrid and electric vehicle programs.
Lou Rhodes, who was in charge of ENVI, continues to oversee electrical vehicle development for both companies. A two-mode hybrid versions of the Ram pickup is still on tap for next year. Plug-in hybrids of the Ram and a minivan are due in 2011 as part of a 200-vehicle fleet developed with a $70-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Chrysler will not have a hybrid passenger car like the Toyota Prius or Ford Fusion until 2015.
At the moment, it looks like the first all-electric vehicle from the Fiat-Chrysler effort will probably be a Fiat Doblo commercial van.
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says Chrysler’s electric vehicle strategy is still under review but he expects electric vehicles to account for one to two percent of sales by 2014.
November 9th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
According to CEO Alan Mulalley, Ford won’t be bringing the second-generation KA minicar to North America.
The Ka, which has been enormously popular in Europe, was being considered but Ford executives decided the car was too small for American tastes. The Ford Fiesta, which goes on sale early next year, will be the blue oval’s smallest entry in the passenger car market.
The current Ka was developed with Fiat S.p.A. and shares its platform with the Fiat 500. Both cars are built at Fiat’s plant in Tichy, Poland.
Chrysler Group will be introducing the Fiat 500 to the American market in 2011.
November 6th, 2009 by DaveAdmin
By 2014, Chrysler could have a V6 engine pushing out over 400 horsepower, according to charts in the five year plan. A three-liter version of the Pentastar V6 with dual turbochargers is charted out in the plan at around 425 horsepower, the same as the old 426 Hemi V8 and similar to the current 6.1 liter Hemi V8. While the 6.4 liter Hemi V8 would push out more horsepower, the V6 would, even with a single turbocharger, match the 5.7 liter Hemi V8. Torque has not been discussed.
The Pentastar V6 was designed to have variable cam timing and direct injection. It will debut (without direct injection) on the Jeep Grand Cherokee around May 2010. The higher-horsepower varieties discussed in the plan would include MultiAir and would be released by or in 2014. Before then, the Pentastar would have replaced all other Chrysler V6 engines.
A turbocharged version of the World Engine with direct injection also appears on the chart putting out around 300 horsepower, more than the standard 3.3 or 3.6 liter Pentastar V6. Fiat’s 1.4 liter engines were shown at a respectable 150 horsepower with turbocharging, 100 hp without. Chrysler has already sold a turbocharged version of the World Engine, in the Caliber SRT4.
November 6th, 2009 by DaveAdmin
If you missed the live eight hour presentation, and would like to listen to it or see the slides, you can do so at the Chrysler web site, http://www.chryslergroupllc.com/ … or read our concise but fairly inclusive summary.
November 5th, 2009 by Bill Cawthon
The new Chrysler and Dodge logos will not be appearing on cars destined for the European market after 2011. Instead, cars sold in the North American market as Chryslers and Dodges will be badged as Lancias and Fiats. The move is designed to save money by reducing distribution costs.
The Chrysler Voyager minivan will appear as the replacement for the Lancia Phedra and hte next-generation 300C will be sold as the successor to the upscale Lancia Thesis. The next Sebring and the new midsize crossover will also wear Lancia badges. The Dodge Journey will become the replacement for the large Fiat Ulysse minivan and the Fiat Chroma will be a re-branded version of the upcoming Dodge mid-size sedan.
As was confirmed yesterday, Jeep will be hte only CHrysler brand that will be sold in Europe under its own name.
November 5th, 2009 by DaveAdmin
Jeff Tramontano pointed out that this photo from the Five Year Plan, presented with the label “Future Product Philosophy” and the Dodge logo, might well be the 2012 Dodge Charger. (See the2012 Dodge Charger page for a larger photo.) He wrote, “Page 31 shows a shot of something that looks somewhat like the 1999 concept CNG car but it’s very different, i.e. gas cap, door handles, C pillar and window split not to mention wheels are different.”
